In car-couplings



CARLTON L. STORES on GRAND HAVEN, MIUHIGAN.

IMPROVEMENT IN CAR-COUPLINGS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 178,81 1, dated June13, 1876; application filed May 10, 1876.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, CARLTON L. STORES, ofGrand Haven, in the county of Ottawa and State of Michigan, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Gar-Goupling;and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawingsand to the letters of refer ence marked thereon, which form a part ofthis specification.

My invention relates to an improvement in carcouplings whereby the carsmay be coupled automatically, thus obviating the danger attending thenecessity of passing or standing between the cars when they cometogether; and it consists in the construction and arrangement of thedevices forming parts of the coupling, as will be hereinafter more fullydescribed.

In the annexed drawings, Figure l represents a sectional elevation ofthe draw-heads and link when coupled. Fig. 2 is a section View of thesame when upon the point of being coupled. Fig. 3 is a plan view of myimproved link, and Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the same.

A represents the bufler or draw-head, the mouth of which is constructedwith a bevelflange, a, at its'lower side, and with pin-holes d at topand bottom. B is a block placed in the cavity of the draw-head, andprovided with a guide-pin or handle, b, which moves in a'slot, c, in theunder part of the draw-head, thus allowing the block to slide over thepinhole at when the car is uncoupled. The coupling-link E is provided onits under Surface, near one end, with an inclined or beveled projection,e, which corresponds with the bevelflange a on the draw-head. It alsohas a circular aperture, f, and a Slot, 9, for the reception of thecoupling-pins G (1.

In order to couple the cars the link is attached to the draw-head of onecar by inserting the pin 0 in the upper pin-hole of the drawhead andthrough the-opening f in the link, the projection c of the link restingon the bevel-flange a, and so preventing the free end of the link fromdropping below the flange on the opposite draw-head. The pin 0 in the0pposite draw-head is raised and the block B is moved forward until itcovers the pin-hole d, the pin resting upon the block. 011 backing thecars together the free end of the link will strike against the block Bin the opposite draw-head, push it out of the way, and allow the pin 0to drop through the slotted end of the link and into the lower pin-holed, as Shown in Fig. I of the drawings. The link, being constructed withbeveled projection 6, correspondin g with the beveled flange a of thedraw-head, upon which it rests, and being secured by the pin 0, passingthrough the opening f, is held in a horizontal position for couplingwith cars of the same height. It has, at the same time, sufficientlateral play and Such free upward movement as to permit the coupling ofcars of difiterent heights, when, in coupling, the link is firstattached to the draw-head of the lower car. The pin in one end of thelink holds it firmly at that end, while the slot in the other end may belengthened or shortened at pleasure, so as to give as much or as littleplay to the coupling as may be desired.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

The link E, provided with beveled projection 0, aperture f, andslot g,in combination with the draw-head A, having beveled flange a,substantially as and for the purpose speci- In testimony whereof I havehereunto affixed my signature this 29th day of April, 1876, in presenceof two witnesses.

CARLTON L. STORES.

Witnesses:

JACOB DE BOE, GEORGE SAXTON.

